1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a card connector for electrically connecting a card having a memory and a circuit board.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is a recent trend that an electrical device, such as a portable telephone, is provided with a card connector for a card having a built-in memory. As shown in FIGS. 9-11, such a card connector 1 comprises a housing 3 for accommodating a card 2, a housing cover 4 for covering the housing 3, and a plurality of or nine terminals 5 provided in the housing 3 in parallel to each other. the housing 3 is made of a plastic and comprises a bottom plate 6, a front wall 7 provided at a front end of the bottom plate 6, side walls 8 and 9 provided at side ends of the bottom plate. One of the side walls 9 is provided with a lock member (not shown). The housing cover 4 is made of a metal, and side portions thereof are bent downwardly to cover an outer surface of the side walls 8 and 9 of the housing 3. A front portion 10 of each terminal 5 goes through the front wall 7 and projects from the housing 3 to be soldered to a predetermined surface of the circuit board 11.
When the card 2 is inserted into the housing 3 from a rear end of the housing 3, the card 2 is locked by the lock member with a contact (not shown) of the card 2 being brought into contact with a rear end portion 12 of the terminal 5. When the card 2 is further pushed into the housing 3, the card 2 is released from the lock member and removed from the rear end of the housing 3.
However, when the electronic device with the card 2 therein is dropped and the card 2 is pushed into the housing 3 excessively, a strong force in the forward direction is applied to the front wall 7 and a connection section between the terminal and the circuit board 11, causing the front wall 7 to be broken or the connection section to be peeled off.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a card connector having a high reliability, in which the breakdown strength of the housing is increased and the connection section between the terminal and the circuit board is not readily peeled off.
According to the present invention, a card connector for electrically connecting a card and a circuit board comprises a housing having a rear end into or from which the card is inserted or removed, a plurality of terminals provided in the housing, each terminal having a first end connected to a surface of the circuit board and a second end brought into contact with a contact of the card, and at least one reinforcing member installed in a front wall of the housing within a range between two outermost terminals so that the reinforcing member withstands a force in the forward direction applied to the front wall.
It is preferred that the first end of the terminals is connected to the circuit board at a connection section in front of the front wall and the reinforcing member is fixed to the circuit board between an inner surface of the front wall and the connection section.
The card connector may further comprises a housing cover for covering the housing and the reinforcing member is installed such that it contacts with the housing cover.
The card connector may further comprise a housing cover for covering the housing and the reinforcing member is installed integrally with the housing cover.
The front wall may have a plurality of through-holes into which the reinforcing member is inserted.
With the above structure, the reinforcing member withstands a force in the forward direction applied to the front wall. Accordingly, when the electronic device with the card is dropped and the card is pushed into the housing excessively, the front wall of the housing is not broken, thus increasing the reliability of the product.